Group 4

The Southwest Alaska Northern Sea Otter  http://www.defenders.org/sea-otter/basic-facts Description and Ecology of Otters  Sea otters are mammals in the order Carnivora. Adult males can weigh up to 99 pounds and reach a length of 58 inches, and females can weigh up to 79 pounds and a length of 55 inches. This size can vary from population to population, however, potentially due to food resources. Unlike other carnivores who have teeth designed to shred their prey, sea otters have teeth used to crush prey. They are also unique in that they use tools such as rocks or shells to open their hard-shelled prey. Sea otters need to eat 20-33% of their total body weight every day to reach the energy they need for day-to-day activities. Otters must dive to the ocean floor in order to acquire food, so usually they only live out to depths of 100m. Additionally, sea otters don't tend migrate great distances. They tend to stay in a fairly small home range. M...

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle- Lepidochelys kempii http://nestonline.org/kemps-ridley-lepidochelys-kempii/ About the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle: Description & Ecology The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, scientific name Lepidochelys kempii, is highly endangered and has been for nearly half of a century. It is the smallest species of sea turtle, weighing in around 100 pounds and measuring two feet in length at full maturity. Kemp's have a grayish green carapace, or shell, and a small triangular shaped head. Female Kemp's reach sexual maturity at 10 to 15 years of age and lay roughly 120 during each nesting. They can nest up to as many as three times in one nesting period which they have every two years. Although the male turtles never return to shore, adult females come ashore between April and June to nest along the gulf of Mexico. And like many sea turtles, Kemp's ridley return to the same nesting beach where they were born to lay their eggs. Chan...

The Canada Lynx ( Lynx canadensis ), also known as the Canadian Lynx, is a medium-sized cat that is closely related to the American bobcat.  While nearly twice the size of a domestic house cat, Canada lynx are relatively small compared to cougars and their Iberian lynx cousins. Lynx are perfectly adapted to life in the deep snows of the boreal forests of North America.  Their abnormally large paws keep them afloat in the snow similar to human snowshoes (“Basic Facts” ) .  Other characteristics include yellowish-brown or silver fur, black ear tufts, and a short black tipped tail.         Lynx are incredibly well-adapted to hunting their preferred food: snowshoe hare.  They depend almost exclusively on the hare as a food source, and their survival is directly related to the hare population (“Basic Facts”).  During times when hare populations fall, lynx will prey on other small rodents and ground birds, but in order...

Gila Topminnow ( Poeciliopsis o. occidentalis ) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Gila_topminnow_Poeciliopsis_occidentalis.jpg/1200px-Gila_topminnow_Poeciliopsis_occidentalis.jpg Description and Ecology Gila topminnows are a small guppy-like fish that can be found in small streams or large rivers in both Arizona and New Mexico. Gilas like tranquil, shallow, warm water, but can really live just about anywhere because they are fast at adapting. A great example of this is one reestablished population that survived for sixteen years in a cement watering trough. You would think their resilience would aid in their ability to survive, but unfortunately other factors have led to their endangerment. Geography and Population Changes  https://www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix/biology/azfish/images/gilabasin3.gif Gilas get their common name from the Gila River in Arizona where these little fish were once most commonly found in the 40's.But habitat destr...

Northern Spotted Owl By: Josh Gillespie Description and Ecology Northern Spotted Owls are dark brown in color with rectangular-shaped white spots all over their bodies. Their eyes are very dark, and they are pretty average in size compared to other owls. They typically are found perked on old deformed or deceased trees in the forests that range from Southwest British Columbia to the Washington, Oregon, and California areas. These areas are optimal for them to have sufficient nesting, breeding, and foraging grounds. Northern Spotted Owls are nocturnal and mainly consume small forest animals, including mice, squirrels, and insects.  Geographic and Population Changes Climate change in the areas where the Northern Spotted Owls are located is a major issue for them. In the Cascades, there is an increasing water deficit, which is bad for the trees and soil in the ecosystems that the owls belong to. In the Pacific Northwest, temperatures are rising in low-eleva...